A woman was critically injured Sunday after a man pushed her mother at the Midtown MARTA station and she jumped on the tracks to save her, according to the transit agency’s police department.
“MPD can confirm that the victim in this case was pushed wayside by the suspect,” MARTA police Cpl. Brian Lauda told AJC.com Monday morning in a statement. “The victim’s daughter jumped on the tracks in an effort to assist her mother and was struck by a train.”
The mother, 58, was treated and released from a local hospital, according to police. The daughter, 27, is at a local hospital in critical condition after undergoing surgery.
“MPD will not be releasing any surveillance footage at this time since it is an active and ongoing investigation,” Lauda said in the statement. “MPD is also not releasing the names of the victim and daughter at this time as other family members are still being notified.”
MARTA police, however, identified the man who they say pushed the 58-year-old as Christopher Patrick Brooklin. Authorities have not explained why the man pushed the woman or if he even knew her.
Brooklin, 28, is in the Fulton County Jail on charges of aggravated assault and battery in a public transit station, Lauda said.
Witnesses watched in horror as the incident unfolded at the Midtown station on Peachtree Place.
“I saw a girl jumping try to help her mom but the train was right there,” an unidentified witness told Channel 2 Action News. “It was unavoidable.”
Aiesha Bowden said the train tried to stop, but “it couldn’t.”
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It took nearly 30 minutes to rescue the injured, but they were “conscious and alert” when they were taken to a local hospital, MARTA police said.
The emergency situation brought MARTA to a standstill, temporarily closing both the north and south lines.
The Midtown station was temporarily closed, with northbound bus shuttles transporting passengers to Midtown from North Avenue and southbound shuttles to Midtown from Arts Center.
MARTA reported after 7 p.m. that service had resumed at the station.
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